Challenges and Significance of Parliamentary Committees in Indian Democracy

Parliamentary committees are vital to Indian democracy, ensuring thorough legislative scrutiny, promoting government accountability, and facilitating effective governance. They engage experts, encourage public participation, and help shape policy, enhancing the overall legislative process. However, their effectiveness has been declining due to issues like low attendance, lack of expertise, and political partisanship.

The Significance and Challenges of Parliamentary Committees in Indian Democracy

The Significance of Parliamentary Committees in Indian Democracy

Parliamentary committees play a crucial role in Indian democracy by performing a range of essential functions that strengthen the legislative process, enhance government accountability, and promote effective governance.

• Detailed Scrutiny of Legislation: 
  • Parliamentary committees provide a platform for in-depth examination of proposed laws, allowing MPs to analyze their implications, identify potential flaws, and suggest amendments.
  • This detailed scrutiny ensures that legislation is well-considered, reflects the concerns of various stakeholders, and aligns with the overall objectives of national policy.
• Expert Advice and Consultation: 
  • Parliamentary committees engage with experts from diverse fields, including academics, industry professionals, and civil society representatives, to gain specialized knowledge and insights on the subject matter under consideration. 
  • This expertise enhances the quality of committee deliberations and ensures that legislation is informed by the best available evidence and expertise.
• Public Engagement and Participation: 
  • Parliamentary committees often invite public participation through hearings, written submissions, and online forums, allowing citizens to voice their concerns, share their experiences, and contribute to the legislative process. 
  • This public engagement fosters transparency, inclusivity, and responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of the people.
• Government Accountability and Oversight: 
  • Parliamentary committees hold the executive branch accountable for its actions and decisions by scrutinizing its policies, programs, and expenditures. 
  • They examine government reports, question officials, and investigate allegations of wrongdoing, ensuring that the executive branch operates in a responsible and transparent manner. 
• Policy Development and Formulation: 
  • Parliamentary committees play a proactive role in shaping government policy by identifying areas for improvement, recommending reforms, and proposing innovative solutions. 
  • Their insights and recommendations contribute to evidence-based policymaking and effective governance.
• Capacity Building and Expertise Development: 
  • Parliamentary committees provide MPs with opportunities to develop their expertise in specific policy areas, enhance their understanding of complex issues, and strengthen their analytical and critical thinking skills. 
  • This capacity building contributes to a more informed and competent legislature.
• Consensus Building and Reconciliation: 
  • Parliamentary committees facilitate dialogue and consensus-building among MPs from different political parties, fostering cooperation and compromise in the legislative process. 
  • This consensus-building approach promotes effective governance and reduces political polarization.

Declining Role of Parliamentary Committees

• Decline in the Referral of Bills: The proportion of Bills referred to Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs) has decreased in recent years, with only 14 Bills referred for further examination during the course of the 17th Lok Sabha so far. 
• Quorum Issues Due to Low Attendance: Many committees have struggled to achieve the required quorum for meetings due to low attendance of MPs. 
• Oversight Challenges Due to Committee Overload: Too many ministries come under the purview of a single committee, making it challenging for committee members to scrutinize all the Bills and proposals adequately. 
• Short Tenure and Lack of Specialization: The constitution of DRSCs for a year leaves very little time for specialization, leading to a lack of continuity and inadequate scrutiny of legislation. 
• Partisan Behavior of MPs: MPs often act along party lines rather than being agents of the legislature to hold the executive accountable, which reduces the effectiveness of these committees. 
• Lack of Processing by House Committees: Important Acts of Parliament are not being processed by any House committee, which further reduces their effectiveness.

Issues Faced by Parliamentary Committees

• Dip in the Number of Bills Referred: RTI Amendment Act (2019), and UAPA Amendment Act (2019) were passed without referring them to the Parliamentary committee.
• Absenteeism of Members: The attendance of about 50% since 2014-15 in committee meetings is a cause for concern.
• Short Tenure: One year tenure of these committees is very little time for specializations as well as finishing a detailed review of complex topics.
  • Example: The IT panel could not complete deliberations on “Safeguarding citizens” rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms including special emphasis on women’s security in the digital space.
• Lack of Expertise: Committee members lack the technical expertise required for detailed analysis of topics such as accounting and administrative principles.
• Non-binding Recommendations: Only certain debates make reference to some reports and most of these reports are not taken for discussion in the parliament session.
• The Politicization of Meetings: Members have started taking strict party lines in meetings on Issues that are getting public attention.

What is the Way Forward?

Comprehensive Scrutiny:

• A robust lawmaking process requires a thorough examination by Parliament.
• Scrutiny should not be influenced by the parliamentary majority or political consensus.

• Mandatory Committee Referral:

• • • Ensure the robustness of the legislative process by making it mandatory to refer all Bills to Parliamentary committees.
    • Exceptions to this rule should be precisely defined.

• Transparent Communication of Exceptions:

• • • communicate any exceptions to the rule of committee referral to Parliament.
    • Provide detailed explanations for the exceptions to maintain transparency.

• Committee Strengthening:

• • • Strengthen the capabilities of Parliamentary committees.
    • Empower committees to scrutinize bills effectively and present their reports promptly.

• Timely Process:

• • • Enhance the efficiency of the legislative process by ensuring timely analysis and reporting by committees.
    • Avoid unnecessary delays in the scrutiny of bills.

• Non-Partisan Process:

• • Implement these measures to ensure that the legislative process remains non-partisan.
  • Regardless of the political party in power, all bills should undergo a well-defined process of debate and scrutiny.

Conclusion

Strengthening parliamentary committees is essential for a robust legislative process. This involves mandatory bill referrals to committees, improving member expertise, ensuring timely analysis, and maintaining a non-partisan approach. 

• By addressing these challenges, parliamentary committees can better fulfill their role in fostering accountability and effective governance.

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